


Madam President

by fuzzyalarmclock



Category: The Good Fight (TV), The Good Wife (TV)
Genre: AU, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-03
Updated: 2018-10-28
Packaged: 2019-07-06 12:10:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,790
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15885777
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fuzzyalarmclock/pseuds/fuzzyalarmclock
Summary: Congresswoman Diane Lockhart is approached by an old friend with an interesting offer.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by tumblr prompts/ideas by everytimeyougo
> 
> AU - Diane is about ten years younger than she is on the show (mid-50s). Will is alive.

Diane is surprised to see how much snow is left on the fields and rolling hills of the Virginia countryside. Sometimes she thinks the only way she convinced Kurt to come to D.C. with her was the promise of an old farmhouse. Kurt was supposed to drive them out last night, but she was stuck in a vote which had gone late, so her husband had made the trip alone. He knew her well enough to know he should schedule a driver for her early morning trip. She was always exhausted after a vote, still not used to her duties as majority whip, but overall she enjoyed D.C. and politics more than she thought she would. There is something to be said for serving the people outside of a courtroom, although law would always be her first love.

Diane texts Kurt as the car passes Manassas, knowing cell service becomes erratic the deeper they get into the countryside. A moment later, her phone rings and she answers without even looking at who’s calling. “Hi, love.”

“Hey.” After all these years, hearing his voice still makes her stomach flutter. “How’s the drive?”

“Pretty peaceful. How was your night?”

“It was fine.” Kurt sounds distracted.

“Everything okay?”

“I don’t want you walking in the house unprepared. Eli is here.”

“Eli? As in Eli Gold?”

“The very same.”

“What does he want?”

“I’m not sure, but you can bet it’s important if he decided to drive all the way out here first thing in the morning.” Kurt sounds annoyed to have his weekend retreat interrupted.

“Okay. Thanks for letting me know. I’ll be there as soon as I can.” She knew Kurt and Eli were not each other’s favorite person. “Frank?” she leans forwards towards the driver. “How far are we?”

“About twenty minutes, Representative Lockhart.”

Frank had been her driver for the past few years and as many times as she asked him to call her Diane, she knew he never would. “Can you make it ten?”

“I’ll do my best, ma’am.” The car speeds up the country road.

 

By the time Frank pulls up in front of the pale yellow farmhouse, Diane’s trying not to fall down a deep hole of worry. She tells Frank she’ll see him next week and hurries inside. The house is strangely quiet. “Kurt?”

“Kitchen,” comes his reply. She walks towards the back of the house to find her husband and Eli Gold sitting at the breakfast nook, drinking coffee and eyeing each other.

“Are you two just sitting here not talking?” she smirks at them from the doorway. Kurt flushes and opens his mouth to say something but Eli stands and says, “Diane. It’s good to see you.”

“You too. It’s been awhile. The Emily’s List dinner last year?” She asks, trying to remember. 

To no one’s surprise, Eli was the one who convinced her to run for the open House seat. In the midst of her campaign, they’d had a falling out about the voters Eli was targeting--Tea Partiers and NRA supporters—due to Kurt’s effect on her polling. She’d fired Eli and hired a woman. She’s surprised Eli doesn’t have bad blood towards her, but perhaps their Chicago roots and the fact that his daughter, Marissa, followed Diane to Washington to work as her legislative assistant, had smoothed whatever choppy waters there were between them.

Diane slips an arm around her husband, drawing him in for a quick kiss hello before sitting down.

“Yes, yes, I think that’s right,” Eli says hurriedly. “Uh, how’s Marissa doing?” Maybe it’s the early hour but she’s rarely seen Eli so frazzled.

“She’s great, but I know you didn’t drive all the way out here to ask about Marissa. Now, do you want to tell me what’s going on?” Her skill of cutting to the chase, honed over years in courtrooms and depositions, had only become more pointed since arriving in D.C. She rarely had time for extraneous information. 

“You might want to sit down.” She had gotten good at reading him during the campaign, but right now his face was stoic. Diane and Kurt look at each other, but do as they are told, Kurt slipping his hand into hers under the table. “I heard last night that the VP isn’t going to run.”

“What!?” The Vice President had been a shoe-in to easily win not only the Democratic nomination, but the Presidency. Diane feels crushed. With the slim majority the Democrats had managed to maintain over the last eight years, she finally felt as if they were getting some things done in this country. To have it taken away and most likely have Congress revert back not only to Republican power, but probably a Republican majority, stokes a fire within her. “Why?”

“Health reasons. Rumors about either him or his wife.”

“Jesus,” Kurt breathes next to her.

“Yes.” Eli is somber. “As you can imagine, the Democrats are scrambling. No one else has been fundraising because we assumed Dalton was the candidate.” Eli runs his thumb along the lip of his coffee cup. “The party has tapped me to give them some names. And, well, Diane, we’d like you to think about running.”

Kurt has chosen this moment to take a sip of coffee and suddenly he’s spluttering and coughing beside her. Diane enters a fugue state. Later, when she’s asked by the press about her reaction, she draws a blank. Kurt tells her she got up to retrieve a glass of water for him, as if it was the most normal question in the world. 

“You’re kidding,” Kurt manages to say between fits of coughing. Diane sets down the water glass in front of him, her hands a bit shaky.

“I’m most certainly not kidding, Mr. McVeigh.”

“I’m a junior congresswoman, Eli. Senate seems feasible, but I hardly think-“

“But you can. You have more experience than most senior senators. You know the law. You support women and minorities. Your husband is the opposite of you politically and people still like you enough to vote for you. No offense,” he adds as an aside to Kurt.

“None taken.” Kurt, who can breathe again, shrugs it off calmly.

Diane realizes both of them are watching her, waiting for a reaction. “I, um, I’m flattered, but I’ll need some time to think about it.”

“Of course.” Eli replies understandingly. “You have 48 hours.”

“Eli!”

“What? We’re already behind on fundraising! I cannot lose a week so you can think about it and then decide not to run.” She remembered this Eli. The ambitious, funding-driven, sometimes underhanded campaign manager. “I should go. The two of you have a lot to discuss.”

Kurt merely looks at her with raised eyebrows and stands to shake Eli’s hand. They take Eli out the back door and Kurt gives him directions back to the highway since service is intermittent. “Well,” he says as he closes the door behind them and places his hands on his hips, looking at her with raised eyebrows.

To her surprise and his, judging by the look on his face, she dissolves into nervous laughter. “I don’t know,” she manages to say, sucking in a sharp breath. “It’s crazy to think about, isn’t it?”

“I thought so at first, but I don’t know. The more I think about it, the more I can see it.” Her husband has always been her biggest admirer. In theory, it’s nice to think about running, but she knows taking this on would drastically change their lives. 

“But you don’t actually want me to run!” she laughingly objects. 

He shrugs. “Probably not, no, but I think you should at least consider it. I think not taking Eli’s offer seriously would drive you crazy in the long run.” A slow smile spreads across her face. “What?” Kurt asks, amused. 

“You know me so well.” He’s absolutely right. If she doesn’t seriously consider a run, she’ll regret it for a long time, possibly the rest of her life. She steps towards her husband, puts a hand on his cheek and kisses him. His arm slides around the curve of her waist, pulling her further into him. 

“I missed you last night,” he murmurs and a thrill runs up Diane’s spine. 

“Mmm,” she replies, her lips along his jawline punctuating her thoughts on the matter. “I did have certain plans in mind for this morning.” Kurt groans softly in her ear. 

“Well, I didn’t have an itinerary,” he admits teasingly. “We could reschedule.” He slips a hand underneath her sweater and she hums against him. “How about now?” The whisper in her ear nearly undoes her. 

“Yes,” she replies lowly. “Please, yes.”


	2. Chapter 1 - Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They’ve been married for almost 12 years and it’s felt like the fastest decade of her life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I meant to post this with the first chapter, so now it gets a whole chapter to itself.

Diane falls asleep afterwards and it’s past 11 when she wakes. Normally she would hate the idea of spending her weekend catching up on sleep, but after the past couple days, she needs it. She’s not as young as when she started all this and sometimes she wonders if it’s catching up to her. Throwing on a robe, she pads over to the window. 

The house sits on top of a small hill and has sweeping views of the property, which stretches over 6 acres, complete with a small barn and stables. The Broad Run River runs nearly past their front door and in the spring and summer, Kurt loves going down to sit on the dock and fish. He even has a little metal boat he sometimes paddles both of them out in, but he’s been talking about getting a real boat since they bought the property, just like she's been talking about getting a horse. 

The place had seemed a bit much when Kurt found it online, but having a home away from D.C. was integral in maintaining their privacy and their marriage. They still had an apartment in Chicago, of course, but Diane found having this house was essential for her--maybe even more than Kurt--as a place of normalcy and calm so she could return to Washington feeling rested and relaxed.

Out the window, she can spot Kurt already in the midst of some project on the small shed where he keeps a lot of his fishing and camping gear. A smile pulls at her lips. That man. He had kept her sane through all of her campaigns. On each one, Diane said it would be the last time she did this to him and despite all their difficulties navigating their marriage in Chicago, she thought this foray into politics had made them a stronger couple. Even with the move, Kurt was happier than ever. He’d gotten a job at the FBI, he made sure they saw each other for dinner once a week and scheduled their weekends away in advance, and he barely complained about owning a tuxedo. 

She goes downstairs to make another pot of coffee and tries to concentrate on reading, but Eli’s offer keeps popping into her mind and she keeps losing her place. By the time Kurt comes inside for lunch, Diane has gotten out of her robe and pulled on a dark green sweater and jeans. She’s getting things out of the fridge to make sandwiches and a pot of soup is heating on the stove. 

But despite getting back to their weekend routine, Diane was entering the anger phase. She’s annoyed with Eli for ruining what was supposed to be a peaceful weekend. Now every subject of conversation is going to be about it. She feels Kurt wondering. “Please don’t ask me if I’ve thought about it,” she says bitterly. 

She turns to see the startled look cross his face. “I wasn’t. Is there any coffee left?”

“Yes.”

“I’ll get it, Diane.” The heat of his body brushes by her as he reaches into a cabinet for a mug. “You sit down. You’ve been on your feet the past few days.” 

She appreciates his concern, but hates being treated like an invalid. “But lunch…” she objects. 

“I’ve got it under control. Now go sit down.” He kisses her cheek as she passes. “I love you.” 

“I know,” she says, rather grumpily, which makes Kurt chuckle. 

To take her mind off the bomb Eli has dropped in the middle of their weekend, she asks him what he was working on outside. She likes listening to him talk. They’ve been married for almost 12 years and it’s felt like the fastest decade of her life. Kurt had come into the firm to help Will out on a case and it’s possible their paths never would have crossed at all, except Will got the flu in the middle of the trial and Diane stepped in. Kurt’s testimony had won the case for them, and Will never let her forget his inconveniently timed illness was the reason she met her husband. 

Kurt comes over with the sandwiches and she looks at him gratefully. “I really want this to be our lives.” 

“I never thought I would see the day when Diane Lockhart became a country girl,” he teases, sitting down beside her. 

She laughs. It’s not so much the countryside. It’s being with him. The two of them alone together. One would think they would have that everyday, but during the week, everything always feels so rushed. She’s running off to the office, a vote, some event, and even when she’s home, she’s usually in constant contact with her staff. They’re never really alone. 

That would increase tenfold if she decides to run. Their life, together, individually, would be scrutinized down to the tiniest detail. “I don’t want to put us through all that again. And it would be worse.” She knew Kurt liked his privacy. He’d struggled--they both had--but especially him, with having their dirty laundry aired publicly. 

“We’ve made it this far,” he reasons. “I think we’re better prepared to handle whatever the press or the voters throw at us.”

She looks over at him, raising an eyebrow. “It sounds like you’re telling me to run.” 

“No,” he says gently. “I’m not telling you anything other than we can handle whatever you want to do.” Diane felt guilty that so much of their time was spent talking about her career. Kurt was highly successful, one of the smartest minds in his field, but she was the more visible one. “I do think you should consider how much good you could do, rather than worrying about the bad stuff.” 

He was right, of course, and knew appealing to her desire to serve the public would get her to look at this in a different way. “But what about our plan?” 

They were both a good ten years out from retirement, but they’d talked about where they wanted to end up. Kurt’s ideal was Costa Rica or a secluded farm somewhere, while Diane preferred the idea of returning to Chicago or packing it all in and moving to Europe. Their visions couldn’t be more different, but the important part was being together. After spending so much time consumed by her work, Diane was looking forward to the point when her life would center around them. 

“It wouldn’t change the plan.” His voice is firm and confident. While she appreciates Kurt always backing her up, she wishes he would tell her what he’s really feeling. She knows she can’t be the only one having doubts about this.


	3. Chapter 2

Kurt suggests they go into Manassas for dinner that night. It’s unlike him, since they’re usually content to spend their weekends in isolation whenever possible, but he insists it will be good for her to get out of the house.

“Oh, Carmello’s!” she exclaims when they pull up outside the large stone building. “I love this place.”

“I know,” he replies with a smile, coming around to her side of the car to get the door.

As the waiter leads them towards the back of the restaurant, Diane looks over her shoulder at Kurt, curious about where he could be taking them. The waiter stops in front of what looks like a wall, but which she quickly realizes are a pair of pocket doors which blend in seamlessly. “Mr. and Mrs. McVeigh,” he says politely. “Happy anniversary.”

Diane looks over at her husband, confused. Their anniversary isn’t for another couple of weeks. The waiter slides open the doors to reveal a private dining room full of their friends. “Happy anniversary! Surprise!” They shout and laugh over each other.

She’s too stunned to respond and leans into Kurt for support. “Oh my god,” she whispers. “I can’t believe you did this.”

“It wasn’t meant to be a surprise, but this was the only weekend everyone was available.” His eyes twinkle in amusement and she kisses him before stepping inside to say hello to all their friends. Fran and Lyle are there, her goddaughter Maia, Will Gardner, even Marissa Gold showed up with her boyfriend, plus Kurt’s friends from the FBI, Katherine and John, and Asif and Leila.

“Marissa, it’s so nice that you came to hang out with a bunch of old folks,” she teases.

“Are you kidding?” Marissa smiles, drink in hand. “I love seeing you outside of work. You guys are so normal.”

Kurt chuckles. “Thank you, I think.”

“Have you met Maia?” Diane waves her goddaughter over and introduces them. She has a feeling they’ll be fast friends.

“Will!” Diane exclaims, delighted to see her old partner. “You look great. Where’s Alicia?” Shortly after she met Kurt, Will and Alicia had fallen into a relationship of their own. After Diane left the firm for D.C., Alicia stepped in as a name partner and in the past few years, they’d lured Cary back into the fold. They were Cavanaugh, Gardner & Agos now. Diane teased Will about letting his wife have first billing.

“She wanted to be here, but Grace and her girlfriend are in town. It was a last minute thing.”

“Same girlfriend?”

“New girlfriend.” Will replies. “You look amazing. And Kurt, hey man. How’s it going?”

“Thanks for flying in,” Kurt tells him. “It means a lot to Diane.”

“It means a lot to both of us,” she adds.

“You’re welcome. Alicia and I should come visit the farm sometime.”

“You should!” Diane leans in conspiratorially. “Actually, I need to talk to you about something later.” Even though she had known other friends for longer, Will was one of the her most trusted advisors. They’d been partners for so long and he knew how she operated.

“Of course. Just tell me when,” he grins, glad to be of service.

The meal is perfect and the food keeps coming. She loves looking around the table to see who has fallen into conversation with who. It’s a coincidence that this gathering fell on the same day Eli asked her to run for the presidency, but it feels fortuitous, a reminder of all the support they have in D.C. and Chicago. Diane slips a hand down to Kurt’s leg and he turns towards her. “You happy?”

She nods and reaches up to brush his silver hair over his ear. “I feel like we’re the luckiest people in the world.”

“I feel that way every morning when I wake up next to you.”

Her face flushes. “Kurt…”

He presses a soft kiss to her temple. “You should go talk to Will.”

She glances at her watch. It’s getting late and she knows now is their moment, before everyone starts to leave. “We’ll slip out to the bar for a few minutes. Can I get you anything?”

“A ginger ale?”

“Of course, love.” She squeezes Kurt’s shoulder as she stands and motions to Will. Marissa notices the two of them leaving.

Will orders them scotch. “How’s D.C.?”

“I think I like it more the longer I’m here. I’m not sure what that says about me,” she laughs. “But I miss Chicago. How’s the firm?”

“It’s good,” Will nods. “We miss you.”

“You do not.”

His eyes darken and she remembers her former partner’s soulfulness, his emotional intensity when she least expects it. “I’m serious, Diane. Obviously I love Alicia and Cary’s great, but it’s not the same.” Sometimes even she forgets how close they were. They knew and kept each other’s secrets. They’d had their differences, but when it came down to it, she never doubted that Will would have her back and her his. When she got married, Will walked her down the aisle. At his wedding, Diane was one of the witnesses.

_Maybe I’m being a fool_ , she thinks. _Maybe I should hedge my bets and go back to Chicago._

  
“That’s very flattering. I do miss the law,” she admits, taking a large sip of scotch. “How’s Alicia?”

She loves the smile that spreads across his face. “She’s great. We just got back from Paris, actually.”

“Wow,” she breathes. “It’s good to see you happy.”

“She’s pregnant,” Will adds softly.

Internally, there’s a stutter, a small surge of emotion over things she’d given up. Outwardly, her face breaks into a broad grin. “What!? Will! That’s wonderful!” He laughs, unable to stop smiling. “Tell me everything. Do you know if it’s a boy or girl yet?”

“Yeah, a girl. We just found out.” Some of those years they spent together at the firm, it seemed so unlikely either of them would ever end up here. Domesticated. Happy. And still as ambitious as ever.

Diane’s so thrilled for the both of them she doesn’t know what to say. “You’re going to be a great father.”

He flushes and ducks his head, sheepish. “Yeah, I hope so. It wasn’t planned. Just happened. Alicia really wanted to be here so we could tell you together.”

“This is good too.” She can’t stop smiling. “Oh, Will, that’s so exciting.”

“Yeah,” he agrees. “We’re excited. Hey, you and Kurt should get in on this. It’s not too late,” he teases.

She hesitates ever so slightly. As close as they used to be, she’s never told him she and Kurt talked about having a kid. Diane brings herself to keep smiling and act like she’s in on the joke. “Send them off to law school together.”

“Right. I can see it,” Will nods enthusiastically. “All of us barely able to walk at their graduation.”

“Actually,” Diane clears her throat. “The reason I wanted to talk to you is because I got a visit from an old friend today.”

He looks intrigued. “I’m listening.”

“Eli Gold.” Will raises his eyebrows. “He had an interesting proposition for me.” She pauses, heart hammering in her chest. “He wants me to run. For President.”

Will’s eyes widen. “What?! What about Dalton? I mean, that’s great-”

“No, no, it’s okay. I had the same question. Illness, so the Dems are scrambling.” She fills him in quickly, Will nodding along. “I’ll be honest, I thought it was a completely ridiculous idea this morning, but now...I don’t know.”

“This happened this morning!?” Will replies incredulously before signaling the bartender for two more. “What does Kurt think?”

“He’s supportive, like always. Honestly,” she sighs. “I wish he would tell me what he really thinks. I don’t know if I want to have our relationship…” Diane trails off, knowing he knows what she means. “I want your opinion.”

“Well,” Will leans back slightly on his stool, his gaze level with hers. “First of all, it’s great, Diane. Really great.” He clinks his glass against hers. “I know your marriage is the most important part of your life.” It’s true and Will is one of the few people who knows and understands that about her. “So I think if you believe your marriage can survive it and you want to run, then you should do it. You’d be great. I’d vote for you.”

“Thank you,” she says quietly, feeling a wave of emotion well up inside her. She misses Will. She’s been in D.C. six years and still feels like she’s been thrown into a new life not entirely of her choosing. “And thank you again for coming.”

“Of course. I’m just sorry it can’t happen more often.”

“I know. It will.” Diane decides right there. She misses Chicago. Going back for constituent visits and the occasional event isn’t the same. “Kurt and I will have to come see the baby. Give Alicia a hug from me and tell her congratulations.”

“You got it.”

“It’s so good to see you.” They stand and she gives Will a long hug, before going back to join the others.

By the time the evening comes to a close and everyone starts to say their goodbyes, Diane is fully nestled up against Kurt, head on his shoulder. They thank everyone for coming and Diane slips her arm through Kurt’s as they watch their friends trickle out to the parking lot ahead of them. “This was perfect. Thank you for doing this, love.”

“Thank you for marrying me.” Kurt says it sweetly, but convincing her to marry him had been quite a feat. He proposed not long after they’d started seeing each other, but Diane wasn’t as sure as he seemed to be. She put him off, saying she wasn’t ready, even though she’d had a feeling when they first met that he was going to be a significant person in her life. Kurt had to ask twice more before she finally accepted.

During the drive south towards the farm, she thinks about Will and Alicia and the choices you make in life and the ones you don’t. The ones that choose you instead.

As they enter the house, Diane lets out a relieved sigh. It’s wonderful to see their friends, but after years of spending so much time in the office, she’s come to appreciate the feeling of being home. Kurt helps her take off her coat. “You were quiet in the car. Tired?” He circles his arms around her from behind and she leans back against his chest.

“Just thinking,” she murmurs. “But yes, I’m tired.”

He drops a line of kisses along her neck. “Let’s go to bed.”

She settles up against the pillows with her book, making another valiant attempt to concentrate. Kurt’s beside her, reading an article on his phone. “Alicia’s pregnant.”

“What?” He blinks, setting his phone and reading glasses on his night stand, knowing this is going to be a conversation.

“She’s pregnant. They’re having a little girl.”

He catches the tremor in her voice and softens. “Oh, Diane.”

“No, it’s great,” she says, straightening. “I’m happy for them.”

“Hey…” He places a gentle hand on her leg. Many years ago, before they left Chicago, she and Kurt talked about having a kid, but it had never happened and they’d let it go as something which wasn’t meant to be.

She wipes at her eyes. “I’m being silly. I have a lot. We do.”

“Yeah, we do,” he agrees. “Are you okay?” He’s wondering about her, beyond Eli asking her to run or Will’s baby news.

“I’m fine. I mean, I guess. Eli’s got me all turned around. I’ve been wondering if there’s a better way for me to do this. If there’s another way to make a difference, maybe by going back to the law, back to the grassroots level.”

“You wouldn’t go back to the firm?”

She cherishes the idea of her walking through the firm’s doors to be enveloped by her colleagues, her work family, but it wouldn’t be the same. “I don’t know if I could. It would be so different. Do you ever think about going back to teaching?”

“All the time,” he says with a chuckle. “Academics has its own politics, of course, but nothing like the FBI. There was certainly more freedom in teaching.”

“I thought you were happy at the FBI,” she replies, frowning.

“I am,” he shrugs as if it’s as simple as that. Sometimes she would like to be, just for a moment, inside her husband’s mind. Things always seemed so simple. The trick he’d mastered--the one she hadn’t--was he knew things were out of his control. “But I thought we were talking about what makes us feel like we’re doing the most good in the world and for me, that’s teaching.”

Diane isn’t sure if she’s actually done any good since working for Pearl Hart all those years ago. “I don’t know. I don’t know if I’m ready for this, if I have the ambition, the desire. I need your opinion, your honest opinion. No sugarcoating.”

“My honest opinion is I think you’re worrying about this too much. You’re worrying about things which haven’t happened yet. You might be in the race for six months, you might be giving your concession speech next year, you might win the god damn thing, I don’t know. So if you want to run, run, but you have to go into it whole-hearted, not-”

“Ham-fisted,” she finishes for him. He says this phrase a lot and she likes to tease him about it.

Kurt smiles softly. “I mean it.”

“I know. And thank you for that. For telling me the truth.”

He runs his fingers gently through her hair. “It’s gotten us this far.”

“I think I’ll know what to do in the morning.” She stifles a yawn. “For now I need some sleep.”

“Good idea.” He gives her a quick kiss before rolling over to turn out the lamp. “Hey,” he says quietly a moment later. “I love you.”

She smiles in the dark. “I love you, too.”

*

The next morning, Diane is surprised to find Kurt beside her in bed. When they’re at the farm, he’s always up and about early, while she prefers to sleep in. But today, Kurt is awake, watching her. It’s something he used to do in the early days of their relationship. She’d wake and find him watching her, his eyes clearly communicating he was already in the early throes of love while she was struggling to understand where this could possibly go. It always made her blush and this morning is no different. A heat rises in her skin as her eyes flutter closed again. “Good morning,” she murmurs.

“Morning,” he replies, reaching over to brush her hair out of her eyes. His fingers continue to trace along her skin, skimming her shoulder and gently down her arm. She smiles and curls closer towards him so he’ll wrap his arms around her. The spark hasn’t gone out of their relationship and as the years go by, she finds him even sexier, but they don’t get to do this, just lie together, very often anymore. Diane sighs contentedly against his chest.

She sits up slightly to look him in the eye, but before she can open her mouth, he says, “You’re going to run, aren’t you?” Diane simply nods and Kurt draws her in for a long kiss. “I’m so proud of you,” he murmurs.

“Thank you,” she says, tears springing to her eyes because he’s her constant. Solid and steady, even as she’s continually throwing curveballs into their relationship. “Sometimes I wish I could just be normal!” She’s half laughing, half frustrated.

Kurt chuckles. “Nah,” he says. “This is the Diane I fell in love with. The normal you wouldn’t be you.”

“God,” she exhales. “You’re perfect. Were you always this perfect?” She kisses him, tugging on the front of his t-shirt until she pulls him on top of her, needing to feel his body pressed against hers.

*

She’s in the middle of making breakfast, Kurt reading the paper at the counter behind her when he asks, “Are you going to call Eli?”

She shakes her head. “Not today. It can wait until tomorrow. Besides,” she says, plating their eggs. “I wanted to have one last day with my husband before everything.”

He looks up at her and winks. “Yeah, that sounds good.” The tone of his voice alludes to exactly what he's thinking.

“Kurt! We just...” She laughs, but leans down to kiss him.

“I know, but you drive me crazy, walking around in this.” He tugs the belt on her robe until she’s practically in his lap. When he slips a hand inside the robe, Diane pulls away cheekily, smiling. “Eat your breakfast,” she instructs.

He watches her for a long moment, as if he’s daring her to step away. But she does, only dropping her gaze from him as she pulls out a chair to sit next to him. As they eat, she puts a hand on his leg. “Diane,” he warns.

“What?” she says innocently, trying to hide her smile.

After breakfast, he doesn’t even get to the dishes before backing her up against the counter, his hands traversing well-worn favorite paths across her skin, lingering in places where she draws in a sharp breath or lets out a heated sigh. Sometimes she’s so tense from the wanting and waiting, he has to coax her, patient and slow, until her release.

“Damn,” she murmurs afterwards, licking her lips. “You’re good at that.” Her hand is still clinging to the front of his t-shirt. She lets go and smoothes the fabric across his chest.

“I aim to please.” He smiles, a bit too cocksure, a quality she rarely sees in him.

Her eyes widen and she laughs into his neck. “That you do, love.”


	4. Chapter 3

It’s still dark out when Kurt rouses her the next morning, knowing they need to be back in town by nine, so Diane can get back to the office. 

As the sun crests the horizon, it traces a golden orange glow across the scenery flitting by the window. Her hands in her lap, the light glints off the stacked metal of her wedding ring, which she twists nervously around her finger. “You’re going to be wonderful,” Kurt tells her. 

A few minutes after six, she turns on her phone. A cacophony of dings and pings echo around the truck’s interior. “Sorry,” she says apologetically, turning down the volume. Most of the emails or texts are from Marissa, keeping her abreast of various goings on over the weekend, but the last one makes her heart sink. It was sent just a few minutes ago. _Dalton is out of the race???_ It’s accompanied by a sad face emoji. And just now, another ping. _Any idea who might run?_

“Dalton must have announced he’s not running.” Off Kurt’s look, she explains, “Marissa just texted me about it. I bet Eli’s chomping at the bit.” 

“I’m surprised he hasn’t called you.” 

“Maybe he’s driving out to the farm again,” she teases. They both laugh. “I should call him.” 

“I’m right here,” he tells her. Diane puts a grateful hand on his shoulder. 

Back in town, they stop by their place to drop off bags and so Diane can get changed. When she was elected to Congress, they’d spent months in a hotel until they finally settled on a townhouse in Rosslyn, just across the Potomac from the city. On the phone, she’d informed Eli about her decision, half expecting him to want to announce right away, but while he was pleased, he was more hesitant than she expected. She and Kurt needed to be vetted, they hadn’t talked about security or her views on fundraising. Eli said he would come by the office that afternoon. “It sounds like Eli and I might be locked in with his war counsel for awhile, so don’t wait up tonight.” She says, apologetically. 

“If you need a reprieve, give me a call.” 

“You’re always my first call.”

“Knock ‘em dead.” He grins, shaking his head in disbelief as he pulls her in for a kiss. “I love you.” 

“I know.” She smiles, grateful to know that wherever this goes, whenever this ends, she’ll have Kurt by her side.

*

Kurt watches out the window as Diane greets their driver. She’s always courteous and appreciative of waiters and drivers and people working the coat check. It’s such a little thing, but it makes him love her all the more. 

She’s told him stories about working to put herself through law school. He’s gotten the sense her parents were comfortable, but it was the deal they struck with their daughter. They paid for her college and she paid for any further educational pursuits. 

The first time Diane ran for office, Eli fell in love with that story. Kurt wonders what nuggets he’ll dig out of them this time and which they will hear regurgitated for the next 18+ months. He’s immensely proud of his wife, always has been, but he can’t say he ever imagined Diane running for President. He thought maybe Senate, but a part of him expected her to return to the law, finally get that judgeship. Although he’s never been a big fan of Chicago, he knows Diane misses their friends. They don’t have the same support network here in D.C. and it’s going to make things even tougher for her during the campaign. 

He has to go into the office later, but for the moment, he settles down on the couch with his laptop, intent to carry out the idea he had over the weekend.

* 

By the time Diane gets home, it’s past nine. Kurt’s left the outside light on for her. (He’s always so good about remembering. She would fumble up the stoop in the dark if it were up to her to remember.) Inside, she spots the light on in his office. He looks up as she approaches, taking off his glasses. “Do you want dinner? Or bed?” 

“Dinner, please.” She glances at his desk, hoping she’s not interrupting, but Kurt is already rising from his chair. An apology hangs in her throat. He dotes on her often and she rarely gets to repay the favor. She stops him in the office doorway for a kiss, then follows him into the kitchen. 

Kurt’s moving around the kitchen--heating up her dinner, pouring her a glass of wine--and she stands there, unable to even muster the energy to take her coat off. “How was Eli?” he asks as he pushes the wine glass across the counter to her. He turns away again, opening the cabinet to pull down a glass and fill it with water, which he also sets in front of her. 

She searches for a word, but shakes her head, unsure how to describe it. The microwave beeps and Kurt puts an amazing looking plate of food in front of her but suddenly she doesn’t want to eat a bite. “I’m sorry,” she slouches. 

Kurt is leaning back against the counter. He cocks his head to the side, his dark eyes studying her as usual. “What happened?” 

It’s a simple question, but she doesn’t begin to know how to explain the overwhelming sense of anxiety and dread which came over her as Eli talked about all the things they needed to consider for her campaign. “We started talking about everything and obviously, I knew Eli was going to hire people to help with the speeches and slogans and all of that...I guess I was naive in thinking this might actually be about me and what I believe in.” 

His brow has been furrowing more and more as she speaks. Diane wants to step over and smooth out the lines with her fingers. “If you don’t like what Eli wants to do, then tell him. Or hire someone else. That’s what you did before.” 

“I know.” But she does have a level of comfort with Eli and despite some of his lowball tactics, she likes his ideas and trusts him. “I’m not sure I can do that here. This is such a different stage, Kurt. I think I’m just comprehending that. It’s not Chicago. It’s not even Illinois. It’s the United States. People are going to know my name. They’re going to know your name. They’re going to think they know us. I don’t know if...” He can’t have forgotten how uncomfortable campaigning made her, glad-handing all the donors, often having five events on the same night where she barely got to speak to a potential constituent. This was going to be that all over again, but on a much broader scale. 

Kurt is standing across the counter from her now, arms crossed over his chest. When she trails off, he lets out a sigh and unfolds his arms, leaning across the counter towards her. “Is this what you really want?” 

“Do you not hear what I’m saying? This is going to be a huge deal,” she splutters, getting up from the stool she’s perched on. “They’re going to want to know about your political views and your family and us. You won’t be able to work at the FBI.”

“Of course I know all of that!” he snaps at her. “But this isn’t about us. It stopped being about us the minute Eli showed up on our doorstep. This is about whether you actually want to do this or not.” He takes a deep breath and continues, his tone calmer. “No one is making you do this, Diane. You have to make this decision. I can’t make it for you.” 

The kitchen isn’t large, but the distance between them seems vast. Diane is standing near the entryway, her coat still on. She stares at him for a long moment. There are dark shadows under her eyes. He missed those before. She’s exhausted. Her voice is small when she finally speaks. “But it matters what you think because it affects both of us.” Without another word, she turns on her heel. He can hear her going up the stairs. 

Kurt drags a hand over his face. Her worry over a Presidential campaign isn’t because she doesn’t want to be President, but because of them. After all these years, he’s uncertain how Diane doesn’t understand he’ll stand beside her through anything. If it turns out she has a gambling problem, coke addiction, an illegitimate child, it doesn’t matter, he would still be there. 

*

They’d had a rocky start. He specifically didn’t tell Diane about his political leanings because he knew she was liberal. (He’d seen the ACLU award and the Hillary picture in her office.) He waits until she at least agrees to go to dinner with him and before their food arrives, he leans over and kisses her. “I’ve been wanting to do that since the day you showed up in court.” Diane is flustered and speechless from the kiss. 

“Well, uh, it’s a good thing you didn’t. We would have been thrown out, possibly in contempt.” She narrows her eyes at him suspiciously, a competitive tone in her voice. “Or do you use that line on all the women you date?” 

He laughs, not wanting to tell her there’s an embarrassingly small number of women. “No, just you. You’re different.” 

She nearly snorts. “Oh, Jesus. Here we go.” He sits forward, trying to think of a way to explain the feeling he gets in his gut whenever she walks into a room. “So how am I different?” she asks, her eyebrow quirking up in a challenge. 

“You’re not afraid to speak your mind or stand up for what you believe in, even if it’s diametrically opposed to my own beliefs.” 

She’s just taken a sip of her martini and she coughs, covering her mouth with a napkin. “Wait,” she breathes. “You’re a Republican?” 

“I prefer the term conservative.” 

Diane exhales and he doesn't miss how her eyes travel up his body. “I knew this was too easy,” she says quietly, almost to herself. Before he really knows what’s happening, she’s starting to stand from the table. “Kurt, I’m sure you’re lovely, but this isn’t going to work.” 

He doesn’t mean to laugh, but it just comes out. “You’re not even going to give this a chance?” 

She swallows the rest of her martini in one gulp and picks up her clutch. “I want to, believe me, I do, but I can’t.” She leans down, pulling on his shirt collar as she tugs him in for a kiss. 

Now he’s the one flustered, but not so much he doesn’t manage to call after her. “Diane…” He waits for a moment, half expecting her to come back, but when she doesn’t appear, he gets up to follow her, worrying he may already be too late. 

As he reaches the restaurant entrance, he sees her in the lobby, pacing back in forth, running a hand through her hair and tossing her shoulders back as she straightens up and looks right at him. Her blue eyes are bright, matching her dress, and she bites her lip when she sees him standing there, smirking at her. “You want to go up to my room?” 

She looks at him for a long moment before she gives him a small nod. Neither of them say anything as they wait for the elevator. The moment the doors shut behind them, Diane launches herself at him, her arms around his shoulders, her mouth pressed to his. He responds in kind, his hands firm at the small of her back. “I can’t believe you’re a Republican.” Her breath is hot against his cheek. 

“Shh,” he tells her, a hand slipping into her hair. “Don’t think about it.” When they reach his floor, Kurt offers her his hand as they step off the elevator. She eyes him carefully, but slips her hand into his, her palm cool against his skin. 

They spend almost the entire weekend in bed together, arguing about politics and ordering room service when they come up for air, and by Monday morning, Kurt knows he isn’t going to be interested in anyone else the way he’s interested in Diane. 

Diane is more hesitant. When he calls her later that week to set up another date (a real one this time), she grows quiet. “I had a lovely time this weekend, but I’m not sure I see this going anywhere.” 

He tries to break through her shell. He sends her flowers, but when he doesn’t hear from her after two weeks, he knows he’s going to have to accept they way things are.

Another month passes and Kurt is back to his usual routine, building models, testing theories for cases, and teaching his classes. The door buzzes one day when he’s in the lab. He glances at the video intercom and does a double take. Diane Lockhart is standing on his doorstep. 

“Uh, hi,” she says when he opens the door. 

“What are you doing here?” He tries to act uninterested as he walks back into the lab, her following. 

“We have a case.” 

“I’m pretty full up right now.” 

“It isn’t for me. It’s for Will.” 

“Then why isn’t he here?” he asks, annoyed.

“Because I wanted to come.” 

He swallows thickly. “Why?” 

“You know why, Kurt.” She crosses her arms protectively over her stomach. “You were right. I should have let you take me out on another date.” 

He tries to keep his cool, detached demeanor, but his heart is pounding in his chest. “I’ll have to think about it,” he says, much more calmly than he feels. 

She eyes him carefully, trying to hide her smile. “Okay. And you’ll call me about the case?” 

“Yep.” He watches her walk out of the lab. He barely manages to wait two hours before calling to tell her he checked his schedule and he can take the case. 

“Great,” she replies. “And our date?” 

He rolls his eyes, knowing he’s possibly in for a world of heartache with this woman who can so clearly outsmart him. “Name the time and I’ll pick a place.” 

“How about Saturday at 7?” He can almost hear her smile. 

*

Kurt stays in the kitchen for a few minutes, putting away Diane’s uneaten dinner. He almost says something to the dog, but then remembers Justice passed away nearly two years ago. By the time he goes upstairs, the shower is running. Diane’s coat is tossed on the bed, so he takes it to hang up in the closet downstairs. 

When he goes back upstairs, she’s cracked open the bathroom door to let the steam out and he can see her standing in her bathrobe in front of the mirror as she brushes out her hair. “I’m sorry I yelled.” He sits on the end of the bed, watching her. 

She finishes brushing her hair before stepping out of the bathroom and sitting down next to him. “Are you ready for all those things? Because I’m not sure I would be, if the situation was reversed.” 

Her gaze is on the floor, but he tips her chin towards him as he says, “You know I would walk over hot coals for you.” 

When her eyes meet his, they’re not angry. She’s scared. He hasn’t seen her this conflicted since he asked her to marry him. “I know, but it’s a lot to ask of anyone.” 

“Men have been asking their wives to do it for the past two hundred years. Well, probably not asking.” Her mouth draws into a smirk. “What?”

“Tonight Eli asked me if I was aware my husband is a feminist.” 

He lets out a guffaw and leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees as another boom of laughter travels through his body. “I guess you’ve rubbed off on me,” he teases. 

Diane’s eyes twinkle. “Uh-uh,” she murmurs. “I told him it’s why I married you.” 

He tugs her left hand into his lap, where he admires the band on her ring finger. Wearing his ring felt alien for the first week after their wedding, but now his hand would feel strange without it. “I know you can do this, Diane. You should run the campaign you want. This should be fun, too.” 

She nods, a smile softening her face. “And if I come in last in Iowa, I come in last in Iowa.” 

Kurt shifts back onto the bed, tugging her along with him, until they’re nestled together in the middle of the mattress. He runs his fingers through her wet hair. “What did Eli want?” 

“Mmm.” Diane’s eyelids flutter as he strokes her hair. “He wants me to get my name out there and he thinks the best way to do that is to find a reporter to write a profile of me.” 

“That doesn’t sound like the worst idea.” 

It’s uncharacteristic to have her husband and her campaign manager agreeing on something. “Really?” The disbelief in her tone is obvious. “Even when I tell you he wants her to spend a day at the farm?” 

“Yeah, I should have seen that coming.” Kurt’s jaw clenches and she lets out a soft laugh. “But if that’s what you need, we’ll do it.” 

“Thank you.” Propping herself up on an elbow, she presses a gentle palm against his cheek as she leans in for a kiss. “He also wants us to find a church,” she murmurs as she trails kisses along his jaw. 

“Are you sure we’ll be allowed in?” 

“Oh, come on. You can’t pretend you weren’t once a well-behaved boy who went to church every week with his mother.” 

“Says the woman who went to a Catholic girls’ school.” 

“I’m not even Catholic!” She laughs before resting her chin on his chest. “I love you.” 

“Thank god,” he breathes.


	5. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "If she gets elected, Congresswoman Lockhart will be creating policies with which you don’t even agree. How can you support her campaign if you’re hoping the policies she can possibly enact will someday get overturned?”
> 
> Diane’s never heard someone so blatantly state the crux of their relationship, especially where it pertains to her political career, but there it is.

A week or so later, the reporter, Kate, shows up at Diane’s office to follow her around for the day. By now, Diane had read several of the woman’s pieces--one of which was a profile on former secretary of state Madeleine Albright--so she felt in good hands. Throughout the day, she realizes she's observing Kate as much as Kate is observing her. Diane notices Kate liked to keep her distance. She's there with her staff during quick huddles, but when Diane actually has a few minutes of down time, Kate isn’t knocking on her door asking for an one-on-one, but out in the office, speaking to her staffers.

Originally, she and Kurt were supposed to have dinner with Kate at the end of the day, but Kate is the one who begs off, saying she wants to have a fresh perspective when she meets them out at the farm.

Diane calls Eli on her way home. “I can’t tell if she likes me.”

“This isn’t court. She’s a reporter. She’s supposed to remain unbiased. She’s probably just keeping her distance so she doesn’t fall for your charms.”

She lets out a hearty laugh. “Is that what happened with you, Eli? You fell for it?” He grouses out a reply but tells her not to worry before hanging up.

So it’s more than a little disconcerting when Kate shows up at the farm on Saturday and immediately starts grilling Kurt and Diane about their relationship. “So,” she says, moments after she shakes Kurt’s hand. “Why did you fall for someone who holds opposite beliefs from you?”

Kurt, who rarely ruffles, looks over at Diane with an eyebrow raise of surprise. “Well,” he chuckles, rocking back on his heels for a moment. “How much time do you have?”

They walk Kate into the house and as the two of them talk at the table, Diane busies herself making a pot of coffee. “Aren’t you aware,” Kate is saying when Diane comes over with a tray of mugs. “Of how this is going to look to voters? If she gets elected, Congresswoman Lockhart will be creating policies with which you don’t even agree. How can you support her campaign if you’re hoping the policies she can possibly enact will someday get overturned?”

She’s never heard someone so blatantly state the crux of their relationship, especially where it pertains to her political career, but there it is. Diane can’t even meet Kurt’s gaze because she knows it’s true and she can imagine the pained look on his face. “First of all,” his tone is measured and she looks up at him, suddenly proud of the way he’s handling this. “I don’t think my politics should affect the way people view my wife as a candidate. I don’t have any influence in her political decisions in the House, nor would I in the White House. Her beliefs are her own and I’m proud of her for fighting for them.”

It’s the first genuine smile Diane has seen from Kate and she hopes it means Kurt has passed the test. Even so, Kate doesn’t let up on Kurt for the rest of the morning, following him around the property and seemingly asking whatever questions pop into her head. Diane catches them mid-debate a few times, but instead of diffusing the conversation, she lets it play out. Much like he is in every other aspect of his life, Kurt has always been reasonable and measured when it comes to discussing his views with her. While they staunchly remain on their opposing sides of the political spectrum, over the years, both have made concessions on certain issues.

It's only after dinner does Kate turn her attention to Diane. Kurt is the kitchen, cleaning up, as Diane and Kate settle in the living room, each with a glass of wine. “Your home is very welcoming.” Knowing Kate isn't complimentary, Diane accepts it gratefully.

“Thanks. We love the quiet.” She laughs at herself a little. “I'm still surprised to hear myself say that,” she explains to Kate. “I'm such a city person.”

Kate nods. “I get that. I grew up in Boston, but when I started high school, my parents moved us to Richmond. It's a city, I know, but it didn't feel that way. Do you think you'll move back to Chicago if you...” she trails off and looks slightly guilty for asking the question.

“If I lose?” She chuckles. “Yes, we will.”

“Do you mind if I ask how long you and Mr. McVeigh have been together?”

Diane's surprised they're delving into the personal. Every conversation she caught pieces of between her husband and Kate had been politically related. “I figured you already knew that.”

“I mean, I can look up your marriage certificate online, but that doesn't tell me how long you were together before that.”

The young woman says it so matter of factly, it makes Diane laugh. They talk, both about the personal and political for quite awhile. When Kate looks at her watch and says she has to go, Diane is astonished to find it's nearly eleven. There are thanks and goodbyes exchanged and then the house is quiet again.

Slipping into the kitchen to make herself a cup of tea, she finds herself thinking about a particular comment Kate had made. In the moment, it was innocuous enough, but she keeps replaying the words in her head.

Upstairs, Kurt is sitting up in bed, reading. “Hey,” he looks up as she comes in. “I assume the press has left the premises?”

“Yes,” she replies. She places her tea on the bedside table and turns into him for a kiss. “Thank you for doing it.”

“You don't have to thank me,” he says, shaking his head. “Besides, she likes you.”

“What makes you say that?” She hadn't picked up on it all week and Kurt was able to figure it out in a few hours?

“She asked a lot of questions about you.” Diane opens her mouth to reply, but Kurt gives her a look like, _don't be a smart ass_ , before continuing. “I know that's her job, but she was asking stuff about the firm, your chance at the judgeship, all that.”

“I don't know if that means she likes me. Just that she did her research.”

“Diane,” he says gently, trying to soothe her. “It's going to be fine.”

“Did you know that men find powerful women less attractive?”

Even for her, it’s out of left field. “ _What?_ What are you talking about?”

“Someone said it about the campaign or about me, I guess. How men wouldn't vote for me because I was powerful. Or something.”

“First of all, that's about the dumbest thing I've ever heard,” Kurt is genuinely infuriated. “Besides, I thought Eli said it was all about women, your campaign.”

Hearing him say this, Diane’s stomach sinks. As much as she’s enjoyed being a champion of women over the years, happy to contribute her time and money to Emily’s List and Planned Parenthood, she doesn’t want to be the _woman candidate_. “He did, but is it true? About men and the power thing?”

Kurt chuckles. “How the hell would I know? Look who I’m married to.”

“I’m serious,” she nudges him. “I wasn’t always in politics.”

“No, you were a name partner at a law firm,” he amends. “Power has always been part of the equation. And you know since I’ve laid eyes on you, there’s never been a moment where I found you less attractive.”

“Stop,” she chides, even though she secretly adores his romantic, sentimental side.

“Seriously, I’m not the best person to ask, Diane.” Kurt says, chuckling. “What’s all this about?”

“It's stupid. Kate made a comment and I know I've heard a variation over the years, but I can't stop thinking about it.” She's as quick to brush it off as she brought it up. “It's not a big deal.”

His smile turns somber. “If you’re still thinking about it, it is a big deal.” Diane’s quiet, so he reaches over to brush her hair out of her eyes. “Hey.”

“I’ve heard worse things. It’s not about that. There’s still so much inequality. Even if we make everything equal, it’s still ingrained in people’s minds and I hate that I can’t do anything about that. I hate I can’t do anything to make it easier for the women practicing law after me. There are plenty of firms who have an equal number of men and women partners but the women still face-” she stops, unable to go on.

“It’s true,” Kurt murmurs quietly, unsure what else he can say. He can’t deny the fact that there is still plenty of injustice in the world, but sometimes it surprises him when those injustices can unravel his wife. She faces them everyday, but occasionally, something hits particularly close to home and she can’t carry on anymore. He’s always been unsure if he actually does anything to assuage her hurt. “Can I tell you a story?” Diane nods. “When we first started dating, I was terrified.” Her eyes widen. He’s never told her this. “I couldn’t really figure you out. I mean, it was obvious you were intelligent and sophisticated, but I thought maybe outside of the firm, you would be different. On our second date, you were smarter and more witty than I remembered and I instantly knew I was way out of my league. I couldn’t understand what you could possibly see in me.” This was so different from Diane’s version of events. 

“But...after our first date, I thought you were hurt that I never called you back.” 

“Two things can be true. I figured I had pushed too far too fast and you weren’t interested. I was upset about it, but also not surprised because you were too good for me.” 

“That’s not true, Kurt.” 

He shrugs. “Even so. It’s why I didn’t call you after I got back from my case in Florida, because I thought you would figure out I wasn’t as smart or interesting as you remembered, and you would lose interest and I wasn’t sure I could cope with that outcome.” 

She does remember being mystified by his behavior. She thought about calling when she was sure he was back from Florida, but she had her pride, too. They only ran into each other again because he was on another case for the firm. (After which they promptly fell into bed together.) 

“So maybe there are men who claim not to find powerful women attractive, but I think it’s really because they’re afraid of bruising their ego.”

“So you did find me less attractive!” It’s not what Diane is supposed to take away from his story, she knows, but momentarily it seems, even Kurt had been intimidated by her power.

He should know better than to use real world examples with his lawyer wife who will poke holes in what his sound logic. “Whoa, whoa. I didn’t say that.”

“You said you didn’t call me when you got back from Florida because I was too smart and witty!”

“No, I said I didn’t call you because I didn’t understand what you saw in me.” 

“Well, that’s easy.” She smirks at him. “You’re hot.”

“Oh, I see.” But he’s grinning. “So it’s perfectly okay for women to objectify men but not the other way around?”

“I never said that, counselor.” Diane replies innocently.

He narrows his eyes at her. “See, here you go again, being all clever.”

She tries to keep a straight face, but can’t. Diane hooks her arms around his neck, her eyes shining up at him. “Thank you for telling me that. And for the record, you were a mystery to me, too.”

“Hmmm.” That’s not really the resounding recommendation he was hoping for. “Is that why things worked out between us? Because we both had a lot to unravel?” He’s teasing, but his questions sound serious (and plausible, for them.)

“And the sex was good,” she replies with an eyebrow raise.

“ _Was_!?” He flips her over onto the mattress.

Diane squawks in surprise, then laughs. “Is. Is!”

The next morning is exactly the kind she’s gotten used to since they bought the farm. Quiet and cozy, just the two of them curled up on the couch together with coffee and their books. Diane lying with her head in his lap, her feet propped up against the arm of the couch, Kurt’s hand lazily brushing through her hair. When he finishes a chapter, she can feel him watching her. Finally, she looks up from her reading and smiles at him. “I want to do more,” he tells her. “I’ve been thinking about what you said last night.”

“Kurt,” she says reverently. “I appreciate it, but it doesn’t have to be your fight just because-”

He interrupts. “I want it to be. I want to help, Diane.” 

“Okay,” she says, seeing the seriousness in his eyes. “I love you.” She threads her fingers through his and gives his hand a squeeze. Eli is going to have a field day about her husband wanting to get involved in women’s issues, but selfishly, it’s what Diane has been envisioning for her campaign, her husband by her side.


End file.
